Strengthening the Family’s Core: How Strengthening Resilient Families Helped Tanya
Program: Youth Development
Tanya’s 6-year-old son was in the gymnasium, building with Legos, and her 10-year-old was playing video games, when she stepped into a room set aside for parents.
All three were at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 221 Church St. in Ferguson, as part of Unleashing Potential’s monthly Day of Play event. Tanya was participating in Strengthening Resilient Families, an Unleashing Potential program led by Niesha Nelson that partners with families, strengthening the family’s core foundation with sustainable resources.
This particular event, Niesha had invited three St. Louis University seniors who were studying to be nurses and who were enrolled in St. Louis University’s InterProfessional Education (IPE) program. They’d come to share resources that they’d compiled as part of a class project.
Tanya found the resources to be very helpful and even texted them to her husband. Even though her family is dual-income, they have four children, so it can still be a struggle to make ends meet.
Tanya also planned to share the resources with her boss to distribute to other families who could use them.
The overarching idea behind the Strengthening Resilient Families gatherings during Day of Play is for parents to leave feeling more resilient.
“We’re not building resilient families,” Niesha instructed. “You as parents already come with resilience. We are coming along and supporting and strengthening you, helping to pull these things out.”
This was the second Day of Play that Tanya had attended. During the first, the parents had made bath bombs with bath salts and essential oils. She has kept the instructions and since made her own at home.
“I love how they focus on parents, especially moms, and how we need time to relax for ourselves,” Tanya said.
Because of Strengthening Resilient Families, Tanya has put more of a focus on self-care, giving time for herself so that she’s ok, which equips her to make sure everyone else is ok.
*Actual parent/name has been changed to protect identity
